I've put off this review for a few days because when I think about how I can summarise my experience of reading it, I can't. Not when everything in this book makes me feel so alive, so grateful that I am here, able to read this book.

In my Twitter thread, I pointed out four things that might make you want to read this book:
🔥 Badass Latina sisters with a complex relationship
☄️ Ancient dragons and sorcerers
💔 Having your heart broken & stitched together again & again
🌙 An exploration of what makes us human

But it is so much more.

Yes, this book is set in a fascinating universe with a cute best friend group and a cuter love interest. But the best thing about it for me is that it's centered around love and empathy. No matter if you're family by blood or not, ancestral enemy or not, traitor or not - the characters try their best to understand their loved ones and stand by them, even when it could kill them.

At the end of the day, FIRE WITH FIRE tells you what humanity is supposed to look like - and that is a place of kindness and unconditional love. A place where flaws don't have to be weaknesses meant to be erased, because that's what makes you who you are. I thank the author for reminding me of that.

I really enjoyed Fire with Fire. The characters were enjoyable and the world was fully realized with enough understandable references that it felt fresh and new. I enjoyed the book for the most part until the author decided to draw inspiration form twilight with their young girl romanced by an emotionally distant immortal. Throughout the whole book I felt every relationship was handled fantastically until the main character made absolutely unreasonable decisions based on a character we just met.

If the entire forced relationship was removed I would absolutely love the book but it's one trope I just can't get over. The writing was tight the characters made sense but the "twilight-esque" romance was just too much.

THIS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!
I mean, not soon after starting it I realized it had bi rep, something I wasn't expecting at all and it made me smile a lot. And then there is the DRAGONS and the history and the sister dynamic and all the drama... so beautiful :D
Dani was definetly my fave. She was fierce and unique, she gave her own spirit to the story. Her friends were just amazing as well, I loved how they were so included to her life. And Nox... askjdskdfh LITERALLY MY BEST PART EVER! How they were discovering their relationship and how their minds changed, amazing.
Eden was complicated for me. At first, I couldn't understand her motivations but then I realised she was totally different to Dani, and that was okey and fresh. I really suffered for her, wanted to smack her head so many times but I loved her at the ending, that phrase "I am not broken, I am human" definetly had me so happy.
I loved this book so much, I wish it wasn't a standalone because I need more of Kieran and Dani, Nox and Dani, Eden, Tomás and Sadie. Just everything. I need more books like this <3

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Destiny Soria, Netgalley, and HMH Books for Young Readers for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.


This may have taken longer than I wanted but my friends, I am SO glad that I was able to read this when I did! Thank you again so much for this opportunity.

First of all, just the dragon aspect alone sold me as something I wanted to read. I’ve been loving dragons forever, and I’m so glad that there have been more books about dragons showing up again, especially in YA. Then Soria combined having a legendary family of slayers to the mix? I’m double sold! Yes, the slayer part totally reminded me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, even though they were slightly different, but honestly that’s what made me so excited to read this! I wanted to see how Soria would make this legacy apparent and legendary in her novel. She did an amazing job with it.

I’m looking back through my kindle to see what kind of notes that I saved, and apparently I didn’t save as many notes as I thought I did! It’s okay though, because the ones that I did save pretty much work for what I need to say.

One of the main aspects of this novel that I both enjoyed and hurt for was the relationship between sisters Eden and Dani. Eden is the eldest sister, the one that is a “by the book” kind of person, making sure that her technique is perfect and making sure Dani does the same. She is dedicated to her life as a slayer 100%, to the point that some people at her old high school started a rumor that she was part of a cult. It wasn’t her fault that she took her legacy very seriously and wanted to dedicate whatever time she had to ensuring that she would continue that legacy of being a Rivera. In fact, Dani is quite the opposite, wanting a regular life without having to be a slayer 24/7, which I totally understand. Dani would be Buffy, and Eden would be Kendra if I’m continuing with the BTVS comparison.


That doesn’t mean that Dani doesn’t take her life as a slayer seriously. She just doesn’t want it to consume her entire life. Dani is a great fighter, and even if technique isn’t her thing, she still is a force to be reckoned with. This ends up being something that Eden gets jealous of, and the more the book goes along you can see just how resentful Eden is of Dani and her behavior and actions regarding being a slayer. Quite frankly, to me this is one of the saddest aspects to the novel because you’ll see just how much that resentment of Dani ends up affecting Eden’s choices in the future. And it’s even more sad because Dani looks up to Eden so much.

“She liked to compete, and she loved to win, but more than anything – and this was a secret she intended to take to her grave – she loved to watch her sister kick ass.”

Dani about Eden, Chapter One
I’m glad that Soria was able to explore this relationship as sisters but also on opposite sides of a centuries long war between dragons and slayers. I won’t go more into that part since it may be a spoiler, but definitely pay attention to the dynamics between Dani and Eden from the beginning to the end. It gets pretty emotional really quickly, and I’m so happy that I got to experience it.

Soria does an amazing job exploring different kinds of relationships in this novel, even when things hit the fan and one would think there’s no time to even think about them. Not only do we get to see Dani’s relationship with her best friend Tomás, and how secrets could end up breaking those relationships down, but we also get to see Dani develop a brand new relationship with Nox, who just so happens to be a dragon. On a more serious note, we also see how Eden was manipulated by the high sorcerer to change her very essence because it would “fix what was broken” with her. Broken? Was Eden really broken, or was she dealing with anxiety and panic attacks like other people in the world do? That hurt me the most, seeing that Eden allowed someone who truly didn’t even show true concern over Eden’s wellbeing and mental health influence her to make such drastic decisions.

“She was supposed to be beyond all that now. Magic was supposed to fix what was broken. She didn’t need her old coping mechanisms. She didn’t.”

Eden, Chapter Sixteen

I wish that Eden was able to hear this before everything changed, but maybe it needed to happen in order to understand where she was and where she needs to be.

Learning more about the history of dragons, and seeing them from their own perspectives rather than from a slayer’s or a sorcerer’s perspective was really important to me. I don’t think this book would have been as powerful if Soria didn’t include this, and honestly I don’t think there was any way that she wouldn’t include that. Dani having the opportunity to learn the real truth about dragons, what they are and what they have gone through was such a humbling experience. It was so different from what she grew up learning from her family, and it was something that Dani had to unlearn everything that she knew before and understand that maybe her family wasn’t always 100% correct. It’s so hard to unlearn what you grew up learning, like it’s been ingrained into your personality and your person, and I felt it was so important to show that struggle in Dani.

I really enjoyed this novel as you can tell. I highly recommend this one!

Dani and Eden are sisters who see their family’s “business” in two very different ways. As a family of dragon slayers, Eden takes this dragon slaying business very seriously. She shuts out the outside world and focuses on being the best slayer she can be so that when the time comes- she can be the one who saves the world. Dani just wants what every teenager wants- to be seventeen, have friends, go to parties, be normal. Dragons are more fairy tale than anything for Dani. She trains with Eden, even bests her big sisters records, but she doesn’t want any part of the slaying business. Then everything changes and Dani is now soul bonded to a dragon, and Eden (who has no idea) is drawn to sorcerers to help defeat dragons once and for all.

This fast-paced, action packed YA fantasy will have you completely invested in Dani and Eden’s story from the first page. I love that it’s told from both Dani and Eden’s perspectives, and we see more of who these characters are, how they feel and what they think. As a reader you are drawn to both even though you know both of them are walking down completely different paths that is going to devastate the other. There is bisexual representation in Dani, as well as mental health representation in Eden. One of the reasons I wanted to read Fire with Fire was because as someone who has anxiety and takes medication for it- it’s not something I’ve come across in a lot of fantasy fiction. Soria does an excellent job writing both about bisexuality as well as anxiety.

If you love magic, dragons, sister stories- you are going to love this book! Soria has developed her main characters beautifully and the plot moves quickly without skimping on important details, character flaws and story points. If you’re looking for your next read- it’s Fire with Fire!

TW: panic attacks and ableism

What I Liked:
Dani – Dani was born into a family of dragon slayers, but dragon slaying is the last thing on her mind. While a natural when it comes to combat, she wants a life outside of the family business. She wants to spend time with her best friend Tomás and work a summer job instead of spending endless hours training with her sister. She’s driven by passion which often makes her impulsive, but it also makes her determined to do what’s right even if it means going against the people she loves.

Eden – Eden is determined to be the best dragon slayer she can be. More rigorous in her training, she often grows impatient with her sister’s cavalier attitude. She should be the superior fighter, but no matter how much work she puts into training, Dani always seems to outshine her. Something that doesn’t seem fair when Eden has dedicated so much time and has given up any semblance of a social life in pursuit of the family legacy.

Sisters – I love that Fire with Fire‘s main relationship is sisterhood. Dani and Eden are very different from one another. They don’t always see eye to eye and there is a lot of frustration between the two, but they also love one another fiercely and in time discover how much they can learn from the other.

Dragons and magical system – I don’t think we can ever get too many dragon books and this is only the second book I’ve read with Latinx protagonists in a dragon fantasy. In this story, dragons are the source of magic, it flows from them, but they are also dangerous creatures prone to violence against humans. Both dragon slayers and sorcerers have made it their mission to rid the world of dragons, but they often clash when it comes to the right methods.

Magic and mental health – Appreciated seeing the novel address magic and mental health. One really important storyline is that magic does not fix mental illness because having a mental illness doesn’t mean a person is broken.

What I Didn't Like:
Romance subplot – There is one romance subplot that plays out really quickly and that I couldn’t buy into. If the character had been introduced earlier, it would have made it more believable.

Final Verdict:
Destiny Soria once again delivers a unique fantasy with Fire with Fire, filled with heart-stopping action and the resilient love between sisters.

Nice premise, I could not get invested in this book though. The dragon bonding gave me "Eragon" vibes and I didn't enjoy the alternating POVs, sadly. :(

I had been looking forward to Fire with Fire ever since I learned about it while browsing catalogs on Edelweiss. A fantasy with dragons, dragon slayers, and Latinx MCs? Just by the sound of it I knew it’d be the perfect book for me. If you know me you know I love fantasy and one of the things I love reading about are family relationships. Fire with Fire delivered on both and more.

Let’s talk about the basics first like writing style and setting. The writing style in Fire with Fire was very easy to follow with some words that I had to look up to remind myself what they were. Overall, it was straightforward and I enjoyed it due to it being easy to follow and not flowery. If it were in such a manner the story would have been very different. The story is told in multiple POV and third person. We follow sisters Eden and Dani. Both their perspectives were distinct and I liked that I could differentiate between the two.

One of the biggest surprises when I started reading the book was its contemporary setting. For some reason I thought this took place in a fantastical world. I guess my brain saw the word dragon and thought that it would be set in a different world than our own like many fantasy novels. With its contemporary setting the novel contests the reader’s beliefs about dragons and in what era they reside. I enjoyed that the fantastical existed alongside technology and the new. The blend of the two was great! I could definitely see things like a subreddit about dragons and their existence happening.

The novel takes place in Tennessee and a lot of it is in the woods. Soria uses the Great Smoky Mountains as a setting, which I thought was amazing. I have heard little about these (just the name), but learning more about the place was interesting. Also, I just love things set in the woods or woodsy settings. Moreover, Dani and Eden’s family lives in the woods and it’s a great place for them to train. Much of the story unfolds in their home and surrounding area.

Moving on to the two main characters Dani an Eden. I loved both of the for varying reasons. Dani is headstrong and someone who goes with their gut. While Eden is more of a perfectionist and a planner. Many of the things Eden said and thought I resonated with. She deals a lot with self-doubt and feeling like she isn’t enough for her parents and her community. Dani wants to be normal and feels like she will never reach the expectations of her family especially her sister.

Both deal with not feeling enough, but in very different ways. I enjoyed that their dynamic was fueled by their perspective of the notion of not feeling good enough for one another and their community. Dani and Eden’s relationship was intricate and it is the core of Fire with Fire. Each character’s development is rich and their progression made sense based on the events and their personalities.

While the main characters were developed wonderfully some of the relationships with the side characters weren’t to my taste. There was one romantic relationship in the book that felt rushed to me. If the character were to be introduced before I think I would have enjoyed it more. This is a personal preference! I recognize why the relationship was developed, but it did so too rapidly for my taste.

One relationship outside of the main characters I loved was Nox and Dani. I liked how Nox was a bit grumpy and rightfully so. He was the perfect fit for Dani. Their relationship highlights the importance of compassion and the importance of friendships. Their relationship is beyond complicated since their so much history between dragons and slayers, but I loved how they understood each other and worked together without erasing the hurt they have gone through. There was a mutual respect between them.

Overall, I enjoyed Fire with Fire! I think it had a great cast of characters and the relationship of the main characters was developed well. I had a lot of fun learning about this hidden world and even hope for some sort of sequel. I would love to read more about different slayers and what happened after the events of the novel. The book also had amazing representation of anxiety and panic disorder. I love when anxiety is portrayed in fantasy and this has been the second book that I’ve seen it incorporated in. I will be recommending this book to any fantasy lover and those who look for representation of family relationships in YA.

Eden and Dani come from a notorious family of dragon slayers and have trained to take up the family mantle their whole lives. Rule-following Eden resents her rebellious younger sister Dani, especially as Dani works a fraction as hard as Eden and ends up with more attention and praise from the adults in their lives. Both of their lives and everything they've ever known comes into question when Dani discovers she has a soul-bond with a dragon and Eden decides to take up with a local group of sorcerers.

This is one of those books that I think the target audience, actual teenagers, will love. This adult, however, did not love it, and that's mostly because I have read slightly different versions of this book before. There's little new to find here from a worldbuilding standpoint, and the plot was super predictable. One piece of worldbuilding I could not get over was the reason the human/dragon soul bond forms: the dragon and the person were born at the same time. To me, this is akin to hinging the plot of your story around the two leads' moms having the same name. It definitely inspired an eye roll. That said, I think teenagers who haven't read 834598230 dragon books/YA fantasies will definitely find stuff to love in this book. It's fast paced and full of quippy banter.

The thing that's going to determine how I feel about a book (aside from worldbuilding - I will forgive a lot of sins in the name of cool worldbuilding) is the character development. And unfortunately, the characters were really one-dimensional. I mean, if you read the description I wrote, their main characteristics are "follows rules" and "doesn't follow rules". We get a little deeper than that, but only barely. The sisterly bond gets developed (and this was easily my favorite part of the book), but otherwise, the characters, (including the friends, love interests, and definitely the villains) are one-note.

So, while this wasn't for me, I'll definitely be recommending it to 14-15 year olds who love dragons and/or urban YA fantasy. 2 stars - it was ok.

Thanks to Netgalley and HMH books for young readers for the eARC which I got in exchange for an unbiased review. Fire with Fire is out now, and you can put your copy on hold today!

Dani Rivera may excel at every part of her dragon slaying training, but she would rather focus on being normal and going to school. Eden Rivera may not have her sister's natural ability, but she works hard every day to rise to the dragon slayer legacy her parents have cemented. When Dani unexpectedly forms a soul bond with a dragon, Eden goes to the sorcerers for help. While each struggles to save the other and convince her of the wrongness of her chosen path, a bigger enemy is ready to gain control of them both...

Destiny Soria is a master of standalone fantasy novels. FIRE WITH FIRE is expertly layered with intrigue, family bonds, conspiracies, and more, but it never feels rushed or crammed. The reader is still able to feel the magnitude and extent of this world of magic and dragons while also being honed in on Dani and Eden's story and where it falls in the big picture.

Eden and Dani's relationship is dynamic, wrought with tension but rarely without at least some love deep down. Both find themselves on surprising paths, with Dani becoming a central point in a world she wanted to leave behind for normalcy and Eden learning there are some lines that shouldn't be crossed. Their powerful connection is tested over and over, but neither can manage to let the other go, even when all seems lost in their family.

While I wasn't looking forward to finishing FIRE WITH FIRE because I was so engrossed in the story, the ending was my favorite part with its sharp realism. All the characters have come a long way, but they still have to face the consequences of things that they have done and things that others have done to them. Growth and peace take time, and thanks to the Rivera sisters, the world will never be the same.

It seems like dragon books are making a comeback, and folks, I am here. for. it. Fire with Fire blends a contemporary setting in rural Tennessee (complete with usual teenage relationship difficulties) with a hidden world of dragons and sorcerers. With strong themes of sisterhood, loyalty, and defining yourself, this was a captivating read with a pair of compelling protagonists.

This was a solid read, one that I thoroughly enjoyed. In a market that tends to be full of excessive romantic focus, it was nice to see a book where the main emphasis was on sisterhood and family. That’s not to say we didn’t get a compelling romance–the dark, brooding Kieran is the sort of love interest YA fans tend to be suckers for (myself included)–but it never became overbearing. Dani and Eden were both wonderful protagonists, each strong in their own way–Dani, the younger sister who has natural physical aptitude, and Eden, the elder sister who is in a constant mental battle with her own anxiety and perfectionism. Neither sister is infallible, and while I did feel like the story unfairly favored Dani in some places, I appreciated that, in general, the two were just as likely to balance each other out as they were to butt heads. Sibling relationships are complicated, but Soria manages to render the Rivera sisters in a convincing and realistic way.

Speaking of anxiety–I appreciated the anxiety rep in this book. The story didn’t shy away from the oft-nasty effects of anxiety, from social difficulties to constant self-doubt, but it also did not paint Eden as some shrinking violet, incapable of dealing with it. The mentions of various therapy techniques for dealing with anxiety attacks, including medication, alongside a strong message that anxiety does not equate to weakness, made for an overall destigmatizing approach.

One other final note–setting this book in rural Tennessee was a great choice. The mountains and forests provided a plausible cover for the otherwise-way-too-noticeable dragons and sorcerers, while the characters were still able to drive (very long drives, might I add) to bigger cities, including Nashville. (Side note: the random scene at the Vanderbilt Central Library pleased me, especially in that they got the neighboring street names correct.) There were still some weird plot holes, but at least this one element managed to seal up most of them.

For anyone looking for a tale of sisters, family, and of course, dragons, this is a great choice, and I definitely recommend it!

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks to author Destiny Soria all about her new book, Fire with Fire, which follows teen dragon slayers Dani and Eden Rivera, who were both born and raised to kill dragons, the only trouble is, they’ve never actually seen one before.

For the younger Dani, dragon slaying takes a back seat to normal high school life, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. These differences will only become more apparent when guess what, Dani comes face to face with a dragon for the first time.

Fire with Fire is full of magic, deep dragon lore, something called soul bonding, all through the lens of real-world teenage sisters trying to balance, well, everything.

Steve and Destiny talk about sharing the same name with someone else, her trip New Zealand, her job proofing obituaries, Fire with Fire of course, and much, much more.

https://www.cinelinx.com/off-beat/shows/everything-is-canon-fire-with-fire/

I really liked Fire with Fire- I have 5 reasons why you need to read it-

Reason 1) The Dragons: I really liked Nox and his relationship with Dani. Their snarky conversations with each other and just the way they cared about each other was so cute and kinda made me want to have a dragon bond of my own

Reason 2) El Toro: Holy shit- the fact that they have a mechanical bull version of a dragon that spews fire and has electric whips and spikes and Dani and Eden use that to help train is so badass! Their whole training regimine in general is super badass and I definitely would not be able to survive it haha

Reason 3) Dani and Eden's relationship: I love how even though they're so competitive, at the end of the day, Dani and Eden are still sisters and they'll do whatever they can (no matter how ill conceived the plan is) to save their sister.

Reason 4) Thomás: Everyone deserves to have a friend like Thomás- the way that him and his family love Dani is so cute and I love how her mom always plies her with food as she's leaving (such a parent thing to do) and how Thomás never pushes- he ensures that Dani knows he's there, he lets her know that he wants to know what's going on, but if she really doesn't want to talk about something, he's not going to make her. That's real, true friendship right there.

Reason 5) The Sorcerers: Calla and the rest of the sorcerers were just this enigmatic group of people with lots of power and then as you learned more and more about them and Eden went to them for help with Dani, you get to see more of their powers and the negatives that come with them and it's icky and manipulative and great story fodder.

All in all, Fire with Fire was a really fun, great read with lots of action, great relationships, and dragons. I had a great time reading it and I think y'all will too! Make sure you grab a copy today!

This was a fun read. I haven't read many books with dragons, but I loved the way Soria wrote them. They were characters themselves, instead of being more like pets. The rep was well done, but had me worried for a bit (I was worried the magic fixes all trope wouldn't be address - but it was!).

This was written in duel perspectives, following Dani and Eden. Both sisters were interesting to read from and I loved that we got to see two sides of the fight. If we had only Dani's perspective we wouldn't have gotten to see just how much pressure Eden puts on herself and if we were only from Eden's perspective, then we wouldn't have gotten to know as much about the dragon's history or the other side of the magic system. I never felt that I was drawn to one character more than the other, which I enjoyed because they were equally represented and if I didn't enjoy one of the perspectives then I wouldn't have been able to enjoy half the book.

The plot was interesting and I was curious where the story was going. I didn't find any of the twists particularly surprising, and I felt that Soria was providing enough hits if you were truly watching - not overly predictable, because the right amount of hints or history were scattered throughout.

I admit, I'm not 100% into the love interest for both girls. Dani's love interest was fine and I felt the chemistry between them; however, Eden's felt like he was tacked on. There was a common goal between Dani and her love interest, while Eden's felt like he was randomly put in just so they both had one. Although, I will admit that I understood that Eden's interest was to show change. In the end, I think I would have been fine with neither having love interests.

If you're looking for a standalone, fantasy that takes place in our world, then this is a great one to pick up. Soria managed to merge our world with the magical/dragon existing one. I loved that there was the added complication of hiding this world from friends. I defiantly need to go read Soria's backlist titles.

Do you know the next best feeling after reading? When the book you read turns out to be something more than you expected, it blows your mind, so you can’t help but love it.

Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria is, no doubt, one of the best YA fantasies of 2021. If you can’t have enough dragons, this book is a must-read. A well-crafted tale of friendship, love, and sisterhood with delightful characters, engaging writing as well as heart-wrenching twists. Oh, and did I mention dragons?

I heard about Fire with Fire before and got thrilled after reading the blurb. With the growing excitement, I dove straight into the story. We are introduced by the Riviera sisters, Eden and Dani. Being the eldest, Eden was the serious one and she always strived to be perfect. Well, ain’t that familiar. And there was Dani, carefree and determined to have a normal life. At least as normal as one could be when one’s family is a dragon slayer.

Opposites of each other, the sisters are tied by their family’s legacy which is to hunt all the dragons that are still roaming the earth because according to the story, they have caused destructions therefore they are dangerous and must be killed. But one turn of events and suddenly the sisters have to face each other. Through pain, heartbreak, and loss, their bond as sisters as well as the truth about dragons was thoroughly explored.

Sisterhood is something I could connect with right away in a story. It was no different in Eden and Dani’s case. I loved their dynamic and how contraries they were. Dani’s perspective was a joy to read. Her impulsive and fiery character made her side of the story had more color in it. Meanwhile, Eden’s perspective was darker but I enjoyed it just as much because of how deep her thoughts and emotions ran, and also the way she handled anxiety. I think the quotes below sum up their relationship earlier in the story pretty well.

Aside from the sisters, other characters were no less interesting. We have Kieran, the mysterious guy with black hair that drives cool cars; Tomás was the fun, caring, and one-of-a-kind best friend who will reprimand anyone that carelessly throw away the word God or Jesus; Sadie, the childhood crush turned to a friend who is also a dragon nerd; and Frankie, the cool aunt who has the best food and advice.

Oh, and the dragons, they were incredible! Nox reminded me a bit of Toothless. Every time he quipped or giving a commentary about anything, I’d instantly think that this is what Toothless will say if we ever had the chance to hear it. And there was also Zephyr who’s alongside Nox and the other dragons, deserved the world. Despite everything he went through, he was still gentle and kind. I felt his warmth flowing through the pages and encase me, which was a nice feeling.

The relationship between the characters was beautiful. It highlighted the fact that even if you’re different from your sister, you’d still want to give up everything for her. Not to mention the wonderful friendship they found along the way. Their silly banter and their being protective of each other were something I thoroughly enjoyed. I don’t want to give away anything too much than I already have to but I will say that the friendship in this book is *chef’s kiss*

It is obvious that I’m taken by all the characters and I can’t choose a favorite but that’s not the only thing why I loved this book so much. Soria did a wonderful job by encapsulated this remarkable story into a standalone. There were no words wasted or crucial things left unexplained, or maybe, there’s a chance I missed them. The characters’ growth was done beautifully, the dragons were painted perfectly, the action and magic left me wanting more, and the ending was gratifying.

Overall, Fire with Fire was a spectacular, 5-starred YA fantasy standalone. Packed with heart-pounding action, jaw-dropping twists, tear-jerker moments, this book is perfect for those who are looking for a book that has it all: romance, magic, friendship, and dragons. Even though Eden and Dani’s adventure is over, I could see potentials for a sequel. And I’d support it with all my heart!

4.25/5 stars

Today’s my day to post my review of Fire With Fire by Destiny Soria for @tbrbeyondtours over on Instagram! They are hosting a blog giveaway so visit the link in their Instagram bio to check it out! I received a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own and were not influenced by receiving this copy.

Content Warnings: violence, torture, animal cruelty (a dragon), mentions of racism, descriptions of anxiety/panic attacks, character death, unwanted sexual advance on a minor – very brief and involves face/arm touching only (Chapter 17)

Goodreads synopsis:
Dani and Eden Rivera were both born to kill dragons, but the sisters couldn’t be more different. For Dani, dragon slaying takes a back seat to normal high school life, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. Yet they both agree on one thing: it’s kill or be killed where dragons are concerned.

Until Dani comes face-to-face with one and forges a rare and magical bond with him. As she gets to know Nox, she realizes that everything she thought she knew about dragons is wrong. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden turns to the mysterious and alluring sorcerers to help save her sister. Now on opposite sides of the conflict, the sisters will do whatever it takes to save the other. But the two are playing with magic that is more dangerous than they know, and there is another, more powerful enemy waiting for them both in the shadows.

Ok I really really really love this book! It truly is an action-packed, dynamic story that had me chomping at the bit for more every chapter.

The novel is told in the dual perspectives of sisters Dani and Eden Rivera, trained their whole lives to be dragon slayers. While Dani is more carefree and wants a normal life, Eden’s perspective reveals her insecurities as she works so hard to be a slayer yet never measures up to Dani, who doesn’t even want the title Eden so longs for. Because the first chapter is in Dani’s point-of-view, my first impression of Eden was of her overbearingness, and I assumed I wouldn’t like her, but it’s a testament to the nuances of the story that as soon as I begin the next chapter from Eden’s point-of-view, it was easy to see the different way she sees life and the role she wishes to play in it.

My favorite piece of this book, though, is Dani’s bond with Nox. It reminded me a lot of Eragon and Saphira - it’s completely different really, but it still made my heart so warm and full like they do. Dani and Nox have a soul-bond, one that forces them to not only rely on each other but to face the truth through each other’s eyes and fight to change the relationship between their two kinds. It is just one of the many endearing qualities of this book that makes it a true standout.

Aside from the great characters, WOW the plot!!! I had so much fun with this book! Urban fantasy and dragons are kinda my diamonds in the rough - I love both genres so much but there aren’t many I can find that truly blow me away. But wow, this book did just that; it’s a well-written and well-executed combination of the two on par with the Talon series by Julie Kagawa while still bringing a fresh take on the genre! The balance between real life and double life were fabulous and I ate up the secrets and the action and the tension and the tropes (they’re good tropes, I promise) with gusto the whole way through. This book kept me on my toes with excitement and twists I couldn’t anticipate, and I’m completely stoked I got to experience this epic story first-hand!!

This book releases June 8th, so snag yourself a copy! I recommend highly to urban fantasy lovers and/or dragon readers specifically, but really to all YA readers - this is a fresh, action-packed fantasy you won’t want to miss!






If you enjoyed this review, you can friend me here on Goodreads and follow me on Instagram/Pinterest @ashton_reads for more bookish content! Thanks for reading!

Thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for an advanced copy of this to review! I loved Beneath the Citadel also by Soria, so I was excited to pick this up. Plus, dragons! There aren’t that many YA books with dragons nowadays, and I love reading about them.

To start, the world building in this was fantastic. The way that Soria weaves in the little details of this world of dragons and sorcerers is so effortless. As is the way we’re introduced to Dani and Eden. They each have their distinct personalities, and it comes out in little details throughout the book.

Dani was definitely my favorite of the two sisters, especially the way she forms a relationship with Nox. She’s also bisexual and proud of that; it’s just there and doesn’t really have much bearing on the story itself. Also I’m partial to Nox because that’s the name of my cat--but fits the dragon in the story so well. I would read a whole book about Nox, to be honest.

On the other hand, Eden’s sections were a little difficult to read for me. There was just something about her voice that didn’t read as smoothly as Dani’s did. Her point of view and her character arc is important, as she works through her problems with anxiety, it just wasn’t my favorite.

All in all, this felt like a refreshing fantasy in the YA realm. If you want to read a book about dragons this summer, definitely check this one out!

Writing reviews about perfect books are extremely difficult because I’m so used to dissecting a book and finding mostly negative qualities about it, despite how much I can love it. When I started reading the first few pages and saw that it was a modern setting (I guess I missed the memo when I read the synopsis), I was a little turned off. But, I was absolutely blown away with just how good Fire with Fire is. My expectations were blown sky high, completely out of proportions because everything in the book just works. It’s only shortcoming is a lack of sufficient worldbuilding which I will discuss in the next few sections.

Plot, Prose & Pacing: Packs A Perfect Punch

Told from dual perspectives, Fire with Fire introduces readers to the two Riveria sisters: Eden, the elder and Dani, the younger. Like all siblings go, Eden and Dani share a rivalry, especially as they belong to one of the greatest dragon slayer families around. While Eden is determined to carry on the family legacy to be the very best, Dani wants to be a normal high school girl and constantly shrugs off training sessions for hanging out with her friends and summer jobs. But, despite her nonchalance, Dani beats Eden in every aspect of dragon slayer training, leading to Eden feeling resentful of her sister. To add fuel to the fire (no pun intended, cause dragons, you know), famed sorceress Calla Thorn shows up on their doorstep with an offer for Dani to train with them much to Eden’s disappointment.

When a chance encounter leads Dani forging a bond with Nox, a young and sassy dragon, she begins to learn that everything she and family knows about dragons are wrong. Believing that her sister has been kidnapped and tricked by the wicked dragons, Eden turns to the sorcerers who shunned her and goes down a dark path to save her sister, sacrificing herself in the process. But the closer Dani gets to Nox, the further Eden strays from her sister and family and Dani uncovers a more sinister and dangerous threat that would threaten not only her and Nox’s existence but her entire family and legacy. Set on opposite sides of the fight, Dani and Eden are forced to confront their sisterly bond, their beliefs and their inner demons all while dealing with friends and romance.

At this point, I feel like I’m regurgitating the synopsis because it’s hard for me to put the plot in my own words without giving so much of the suspense and action away. It is a testament to how masterfully a simple YA book like Fire with Fire is crafted! Everything from the narration to the writing just worked, especially in how Soria portrayed the teens. They didn’t seem out of touch or unnatural, neither too old nor too young. The pacing was also fantastic and kept me hooked on the book; scenes were neither too draggy nor too short.

One of the things I despise the most in fantasy books are fight scenes cause they’re always so incredibly boring. But, Fire with Fire has amazing fight scenes that are just so entertaining and immersive. I think my main issue with Fire with Fire is the lack of sufficient worldbuilding which would have elevated the book from lower YA to upper YA.

Characters: They Leap Off the Page

I’ve recently been learning about story structures because I’ve been trying to get some self-insert fanfiction out of my head onto paper and I can’t help but feel that Destiny Soria used the Dan Harmon Story Circle which aims to focus the story around the characters. Because, every single character introduced is perfect from the main to the side characters.

Dani is the ultimate femme fatale hero; she knows what she wants, she knows what she’s doing, she’s witty and street smart and a great person at that. She’s almost perfect to the point of flawless, providing the perfect contrast for Eden. Possibly the antithesis to Dani’s outgoing character, much as I disliked Eden’s character, I related to her the most. Eden suffers from anxiety from having the weight of the world on her shoulders and constantly striving for perfection but she always has good intentions. She’s caring and considerate, responsible and determined. Eden is also a little ambiguous in her hero-villain storyline which provided so much tension to the relationships and plot.

As you guys are pretty aware if you read most of my reviews, I am very particular about how sister relationships are portrayed. I can safely tell you guys that this relationship is absolutely perfect! It’s realistic, filled with all the tension and love, and not cringey and written for dramatic effect at all.

Sophisticated, chic and more than mysterious, Calla, well, I’ll leave Calla for you guys to decipher once you read the book because I am using my magic powers through the internet to tell you that you absolutely have to put this book on your to-buy and to-be-read lists!

We are also introduced to a couple of fantastic side characters: Nox, ,Tomas, Sadie and Kieran. Nox is an absolute hoot and possibly my favourite character; I always love a good animal sidekick who gives as good as he gets. Sarcastic, witty and clueless almost human culture, Nox provides great comedic relief when we absolutely need it, especially when he asks if it’s time to sing “Kumbaya” and comments on terrible dragon movie portrayals. Tomas is the perfect platonic best friend with the heart of gold and his family is just absolutely wonderful and Sadie is Dani’s childhood friend with a complicated romantic past who wants to rekindle the friendship. Kieran is such an interesting and morally grey character; he’s also a love interest for Dani but his character honestly borderlines on “pick me guy” which is a little eye roll-inducing.

I could go on and on about all the characters introduced; we haven’t even gotten to Eden and Dani’s family who although spend little time on the page are so colourful and wonderful. They practically leap off the page!

Worldbuilding: Lacking In The Details Department
Fire with Fire suffers the most at worldbuilding, providing readers with the bare minimum in order to be able to tell the story effectively. While we are introduced to some of the lore surrounding slayers, sorcerers and dragons, we are not provided much more such as further insight into the origins, the hierarchies, how the magic actually works etc. It’s all very brief and surface-level. I think one of my biggest pet peeves in Fire with Fire is how when something magical occurs, it is only written “something deep and instinctual has been awakened”. I count two instances where this happened, there may be more. It’s not enough to just say it’s an age old instinct; in a fantasy book, there should be way more than this.

Furthermore, in a book about slayers, dragons and sorcerers, Eden and Dani do not actually have mentors who oversee their training progress. It’s just a little strange cause in most books with hero journeys, there’s always someone who provides guidance to the heroes but that’s just me. It both works and doesn’t work in the context of Fire with Fire but would have been nice to have a wise-old person or dragon even, to explain most of the lore and history.

To sum it all up, Fire with Fire is an incredible read. Filled with the difficulties of being siblings, awesome friendships, queer friendly representation, two badass main characters, dragons (of course!) and an ending that just makes me hungry for me, this is one of the books that I will always remember fondly. And I hope you do too!

I love dragons and I’m always very eager to read any and all dragon-themed fantasy books that I find. Fire with Fire is no exception and it did not disappoint at all.

Fire with Fire follows two very different sisters, Eden and Dani. They both grew up training to follow in their parent’s footsteps and join the family business, but couldn’t be more different from each other. Eden, the older sister, has always worked hard to be the best, to be like her mother, and become the best in the field, worthy of the family name. But her constant search for validation has led her to become very insecure and full of self-loathing, and to be plagued by severe anxiety. Dani, on the other hand, doesn’t care much for it and has always just wanted a normal life. This difference between their ambitions and desires has created a rift between them. (Oh, and by the way, the family business is dragon-slaying.)

In this story, there is a slightly different approach to the concept of dragons than what I’m used to reading, and there was such an interesting dynamic between humans and dragons in this book that, at its core, it probably represents several real-world conflicts. It was interesting to see both perspectives in a fictional context.

The plot just kept surprising me when I thought I’d figured out what would happen next. But this is more of a character-driven story that focuses on the relationship between these two sisters, and what an emotional rollercoaster! The anxiety rep was spot-on! I could really relate to some of Eden’s feelings, but ultimately, I became more attached to Dani.

Overall, I really enjoyed Fire with Fire. It’s a rather entertaining, surprisingly thought-provoking, and unique dragon-themed fantasy that is very well-written.

It is rare these days to have standalone fantasy books especially in the YA market. Fire with Fire not only fills in this gap but ushers the readers into an emotional and action-packed tale of family, legacy, dragon-slaying, and magic.

At the heart of this story are the Rivera sisters, who are raised as heirs to a secret legacy of being the finest dragon slayer family in the US. Dani, the younger sibling, is considered a prodigy but yearns for a normal high school life, while Eden, the older Rivera, is considered “first-born but second-best” despite the hard work she puts into training.

I love how the book portrays this complicated kind of sibling dynamics. Eden and Dani truly love each other, and dealing with their family secrets daily bind them even closer. However, their love doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and their perception of each other is constantly challenged and warped by the weight of family expectations and the unfair treatment they get within their circles.

The sibling arc didn’t go the route I expected, but it’s no less beautiful. It’s messy and raw, but it is held together by the undeniable love Eden and Dani have. It is interesting to see the paths they take to save each other from what they perceive to be ruin, and their rivalry, insecurities, and petty but deep-seated jealousies hit too close to home.

Despite some earlier misgivings about her character, I find myself more attached to Eden. She constantly fights to be recognized for all the hours she puts into training, and the lack of love takes her into pretty dark emotional spirals. This is further compounded by her anxiety disorder: Eden thinks that her medication and panic attacks make her a weak dragon-slayer. She’s pricklier and messier, but she’s so much more relatable. Reading her POV chapters can be quite uncomfortable at times, but I love seeing her arc through to its satisfying end. I do wish Eden got more action scenes and more moments where she alone shines, in contrast with Dani’s typical heroic acts.

Besides Eden, the dragon Nox is one of my favorite characters! He is very sweet and naïve, and he takes Dani’s throwaway comments very seriously. His comedic timing is also gold, especially during every time he asks if it is time to sing Kumbaya. He also has a dry and biting wit, and his observations on power, history, and greed make for a good discussion.

My one gripe with this book is that it switches POVs mid-chapter. It can be hard to tell who is who especially right after a very tense battle scene, and my excess adrenaline makes it hard to keep track of these changes. I hope that at least *** or any kind of simple separators will be included in the finished copy.

Overall, I really like this book! If you’re looking for an action-packed fantasy that values the characters at its core, then Fire with Fire may be the book for you.